Middlebury's president gives notice

Dec. 12, 2013

Written by

Free Press Staff

MIDDLEBURY — Ron Liebowitz, president of Middlebury College since 2004, announced today that he will be leaving office on June 30, 2015.

He made the announcement to the college’s Board of Trustees, meeting in New York City, and in an email to the Middlebury College community. In the email, he said that the 18-months notice would provide adequate time to conduct “a thoughtful search to identify the finest candidates” to succeed him.

He also said that he expects during his last year-and-a-half in office to lead the college “through an important transition in its governance structure.”

The board of trustees has decided to reduce its standing committees from 15 to six and to establish three boards of overseers for the extensive Middlebury enterprise: one for the undergraduate college; one for the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the college’s graduate school; and one for various other “schools,” including the Language Schools and the Bread Loaf School of English and writers’ conference. Each board of overseers will include non-trustee members, Liebowitz said, “to provide a broad range of experiences and perspectives.”

Liebowitz, 56, grew up in New York City, graduated from Bucknell University in 1979, and received his doctorate from Columbia University. A specialist in Russian economic and political geography, he joined the Middlebury faculty in 1984, was appointed full professor in 1993, and provost in 1997.

He has served as Middlebury president since July 1, 2004.

Marna Whittington, chair of the board of trustees, said in a college news release that the board would release information about the presidential search after a scheduled meeting in February.